HARD-DRINKING group The Pogues have cleaned up their act ready for a new tour and album release.

The hell-raising stars have embarked on an intensive fitness regime to ensure they are in good shape for their return to the limelight.

Their new health-conscious image was prompted by the problems the band experienced recording their last album when lead singer Shane MacGowan repeatedly fell ill.

The LP release date was delayed for months and then just as he was re-covering, MacGowan had a relapse and missed the first few dates of The group's American tour.

MacGowan blamed his poor health on his fast-living lifestyle.

Now The Pogues claim they have changed their ways.

MacGowan said: "I'm not going to make the same mistakes. I know I'll never be the fittest person on the face of the earth, but from now on I'm determined I won't do anything that will dam-age my career."

First to go was the booze, followed closely by the junk food. The band now eat healthily, jog and work out in a gym in North London.

"Our regular fans just won't recognise us," gap toothed MacGowan added.

The new-look Pogues, recently in the charts with the Irish World Cup an-them Jack's House, will be seen for the first time when their nation-wide tour starts in Cambridge on September 28.

Before that the group will release their fifth al-bum, Hell's Ditch, which has been produced by for-mer Clash singer Joe Strummer.

Strummer first worked with The Pogues during their 1987 American tour when he stood in for guitarist Phil Chevron who had been taken ill.

A record company insider added: "This re-cord is as lean and fit as The Pogues themselves.

"Strummer has given it a really tough sound. They've still got that folky, Irish feel, but the-re's a much more rocky edge to it."

THE GUARDIAN, Monday October 29 1990

Robin Denselow on the turbulent Pogues at Wembley Arena

A Pogue male in Hell's Ditch

The Pogues have always been a turbulent bunch, teetering from the edge of apparent disaster to triumph, unexpected brilliance, and back again, and success has merely made that process seem the more extreme.

Ever since they recorded the classic If I Should Fall From Grace With God two years ago they have made it clear they are not just the punk of Irish music, out for a wild, drunken dance, but a band capable of mixing their manic exuberance and the songs of love and loath-ing with a whole range of musical influences from Ireland, America, the Middle East and beyond, with melodies that match the increasingly fine and poignant bitter-sweet lyrics of Shane MacGowan.

The Pogues achieved a once undreamed of respectability, with the inevitable series of world tours, appearances with U2 and Dylan, and even a major publisher producing a book of MacGowan's lyrics, but all this merely increased the rumours that the end must surely be at hand. MacGowan was said to be drinking himself into a state of permanent oblivion, and though he still managed to write some good songs for last year's Peace And Love album there were growing predictions that the band could never last.

But the Pogues are still here, and still in unexpectedly fine shape. Their new album Hell's Ditch has no-nonsense, confident production work from Joe Strummer and a batch of songs that veer away from Irish influences to post-Dylan country and blues and echoes of anything from the Greek epic to the Far East.

The melodies are powerful and simple, but the lyrics for the cheerful, chugging and bluesy Ghost Of A Smile or the more disappointing single Summer In Siam sounds as if MacGowan was hardly trying.

Hearing those same songs echo around Wembley Arena it was easy to see why he'd be tempted to stop bothering, for on stage the Pogues' subtlety is still transformed into a sing along party. This was a far better show than their last Wembley outing, for the sound was excellent and the band playing crisper and tighter than ever, but all that had to do to succeed was get the crowd swaying to Dirty Old Town, or dancing wildly to Sally MacLennane, one of MacGowan's finest bitter-sweet songs of life, death, drink and parting, on which his lyrics were of course largely unintelligible.

MacGowan spent most of the show clutching a pint glass and proving that he still has presence and soul even when he's wobbling off the note, though his slurred stabs at soul music were less successful. My Girl and George Michael's Careless Whisper were thrown in as unexpected novelties. The band have other more accurate singers, including Terry Woods and Philip Chevron – whose Thousands Are Sailing was the best Irish lament of the night – but the scruffy, staggering figure of MacGowan was still the heart of the band.

The Wembley show was another slurred triumph, but it's sad that the full richness of his wild lyrics is now best heard through the interpretations of his admirer Christy Moore.

—

Photo: Shane MacGowan: slurred

RECORDS by JIM WHITEFORD

HELL'S DITCH

The Pogues A spirited return from Ireland's wild young men of folk rock. Employing the varied rhythms of Africa on 'House of the gods', Greece on 'Lorca's Novena' and Latin America on '5 Green Queens and Jean', it's an album to enjoy over and over-always, discovering something new in the delightfully commercial Joe Strummer production.

Shane McGowan is main songwriter and vocalist and is especially effective on the simple but moving 'Summer in Siam'.

Good listening with. a couple of hits yet to emerge from the grooves. A good sampler to begin with is the instrumental 'Maidrin Rua', which thrills with the Pogues on drum, mandolin and accordian.

True, some songs here have help from friendly musicians like Sara Lee and REM's Peter Buck but I enjoy the Indigo girls best when they keep it simple.

With the recent successes of Bonnie Raitt and Suzanne Vega in Britain, I won't be surprised if the duo slip quietly into charts between now and springtime. They're mining a rich seam!

THE Pogues have chosen long-time buddy ex-Clash man Joe Strummer as the producer of their new album which is currently being recorded in the famous Rockfield Studios in Wales.

Everyone is apparently very happy with the new material which they reckon should break The Pogues on a world-wide basis at last.

Meanwhile Terry Woods and Philip Chevron are taking time off next weekend to attend the big Entertainment Party Conference at the Olympia Theatre next Sunday...

THE POGUES: Hell's Ditch. – IT'S back to top form for Shane MacGowan and the lads with this great collection of songs – many, like House Of The Gods and Summer In Siam, inspired by the toothy one's recent sojourn in Thailand.

The Irish heritage is played down for a more striking rock sound, thanks to the production of former Clash star Joe Strummer, making it an LP to rank alongside Rum, Sodomy And The Lash.

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Photo: The Pogues – hungover and reflective, rather than drunk and raging.

Morning after mood on this LP

The Pogues; Hell's Ditch, (WEA): Their fascination with death and the underbelly of life seems intact, but The Pogues sound a lot more restrained on this new LP.

The songs here are mainly mid-pace, with one or two exceptions, rather than the frantic workouts of past LPs. "Hell's Ditch." sounds almost like The Pogues the the reflective morning after, instead of the drunken night before.

Having said that. Shane MacGowan's voice is more blurred than ever, and there's some corking tunes here.

"Sunnyside Of The Street." rolls along, powered by its own exhuberance and the cheery whistle of Spider Stacey but MacGowan's lyrics are as dark as ever.

"Sayonara." is typical Pogues territory, all brothels. drinking and the Irish accordion of Fearnley.

"The Ghost Of A Smile." is a pounding tune to dance your socks off to, with a great bit of guitar by Phil Chevron.

The vaguely Greek "Hell's Ditch, and the Spanish "Lorca's Novena." sound like they'd be more at home on "If I Should Fall From Grace..." given their moody black atmosphere.

The lilting piano and fine sax of Jim Finer make "Summer In Siam, a melancholy song.

"Rain Street." swings, with seedy vocals and a crescendo for an ending. while "Rainbow Man." is almost a rock song, sung by Terry Woods.

"The Wake Of The Medusa," is a mean shuffle, with some mad drumming and an Eastern flavour, while "House Of The Gods." is a funny, drunken dance song.

"5 Green Queens And Jean," is almost Country and Western before MacGowan's mad mumble takes over.

"Maidrin Rua," is a traditional Irish song, almost a pleasant country stroll, but "Six To Go, by Terry Woods. comes across as a bit of a filler at the end of the LP.

Considering this was produced by Joe Strummer, it's surprising it's so restrained, although the ex-Clash man turned a blind eye to the expletives that pepper the album.

Not once do The Pogues unleash the musical fury they are capable of, but the lyrics are as mean as ever. Not a great Pogues LP, but a good one nonetheless. (7 out of 10).

JD